Horticultural & Botanical History

‘It is an elegant branching plant, flowering most copiously in the spring, and continuing long in beauty. The blossoms are fragrant, though we could not distinguish any resemblance to the scent of the rose, which Sir James [Smith] ascribes to them.’ [LBC no.997/1824].

‘When properly managed this is decidedly a first-class greenhouse plant’. [Gard. Chron. 1853]. ‘The plant before us, has lately been raised from seed by Mr. Colville, to whom we are indebted for the opportunity of making our drawing. It is common near Port Jackson, whence we have received fine specimens, which agree perfectly with the plant in cultivation. It is much to be desired that the other species should be obtained from New Holland.’ [BR f.842/1824].

It was possibly first grown in England as early as 1794. Paxton’s Magazine of Botany gives a date of introduction of 1816, by Colville’s nursery, but this may not be the same plant. [MB p.1/1834].

History at Camden Park

Listed only in the 1857 catalogue [T.167/1857]. Both Boronia serrulata and Boronia pinnata are ticked in a copy of the Horticultural Register, August 1831. Although this publication originally belonged to James Bowman, it is likely that both were grown by Macarthur earlier than 1857.